This invention relates to a composition for tinting surfaces and methods of using the composition. More particularly, the invention relates to a composition for tinting polymeric substrates such as rubber, engineered plastics, and vinyl, metals, glass, fiberglass, paint, and plastics and methods of using the composition.
Increasingly, consumers are expending money on accessories for their vehicles. Consumers often wish to modify the surface color of accessories used on or inside their vehicle to either coordinate or contrast that accessory with other parts of their vehicle or to accentuate that color. Examples of accessories that consumers may wish to modify in color to coordinate or contrast with other parts of their vehicle or to accentuate include, but are not limited to, polymeric substrates such as rubber, engineered plastic, and vinyl accessories, metal accessories, glass accessories, fiberglass accessories, painted accessories, and plastic accessories.
Examples of polymeric substrates such as rubber and vinyl accessories on vehicles that consumers may wish to modify in color include, but are not limited to, tires, dashboards, bumpers, seats, steering wheels, and mudflaps. Engineered plastic accessories on vehicles that consumers may wish to modify in color include, but are not limited to, bumpers, body panels, trim, and consoles. Metal accessories on vehicles that consumers may wish to modify in color include, but are not limited to, bumpers, rims, grills and hitches. Also, glass accessories on vehicles that consumers may wish to modify in color include, but are not limited to, windshields and mirrors. Certain fiberglass accessories on vehicles that consumers may wish to modify in color include, but are not limited to, body panels. Painted accessories on vehicles that consumers may wish to modify in color include, but are not limited to, exterior vehicle paint. Certain plastic accessories on vehicles that consumers may wish to modify in color include, but are not limited to, bumpers, headlights, and mirror casings.
Although consumers may wish to alter the surface color of the accessories used on or inside their vehicles to coordinate or contrast that color with other parts of their vehicle or to accentuate that color, often times consumers only desire to make the color change on a temporary, nonpermanent basis. Accordingly, a need exists for a tinting composition which consumers can safely handle and apply to accessories on or inside their vehicles or other surfaces not necessarily associated with vehicles to temporarily impart a color of their choice to the surface of the accessory.
The above need is met by embodiments of the invention in one or more of the following aspects. In one aspect, the invention relates to a tinting composition for tinting a surface. The composition includes a solvent and a pigment selected from the group consisting of iron oxide, titanium dioxide, mica, calcium sodium borosilicate, organic constituent containing pigments, inorganic constituent containing pigments, fluorescent constituent containing pigments, phosphorescent constituent containing pigments, luminescent constituent containing pigments, ultraviolet absorbing pigments, mineral constituent containing pigments, amorphous glass oxides, polyacrylates, metal flakes, reflective pigments, and mixtures thereof. The solvent selected for use in the tinting composition is selected from a wide range of solvents including branched or straight chained aliphatic hydrocarbons, synthetic hydrocarbons, alcohols, water, organic solvents, silicone fluids, paraffinic solvents, volatile solvents, and mixtures thereof.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of tinting a surface. The method includes selecting a surface for tinting; mixing a solvent and a pigment to form a tinting composition; and applying the tinting composition to the surface. The tinting composition includes a solvent and a pigment selected from the group consisting of iron oxide, titanium dioxide, mica, calcium sodium borosilicate, organic constituent containing pigments, inorganic constituent containing pigments, fluorescent constituent containing pigments, phosphorescent constituent containing pigments, luminescent constituent containing pigments, ultraviolet absorbing pigments, mineral constituent containing pigments, amorphous glass oxides, polyacrylates, metal flakes, reflective pigments, and mixtures thereof. The solvent selected for use in the tinting composition is selected from a wide range of solvents including branched or straight chained aliphatic hydrocarbons, synthetic hydrocarbons, alcohols, water, organic solvents, silicone fluids, paraffinic solvents, volatile solvents, and mixtures thereof.
Additional aspects of the invention and advantages provided by the embodiments of the invention are apparent with the following description.